Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5By: Dave Etchells & Mike TomkinsKonica Minolta existing Z3 model gets an updated sensor, larger LCD and slightly updated control layout. <<Optics :(Previous) | (Next): Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests>> Page 7:Exposure & FlashReview First Posted: 03/28/2005 |
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In straight Auto mode, the camera controls everything about the exposure, except for flash, zoom, anti-shake and focus point. Program AE mode keeps the camera in charge of the exposure, while you have control over all other exposure options. Aperture Priority mode lets you select the lens aperture setting, from f/2.8 to f/8 depending on the zoom setting, while the camera selects the most appropriate corresponding shutter speed from 4 seconds to 1/1,000. In Shutter Priority mode, the user selects the shutter speed, from 1/1,000 to 4 seconds, while the camera chooses the best corresponding aperture setting. Switching to Manual mode gives you control over both shutter speed and aperture from 4 seconds to 1/1,000. In modes where you have control over the Shutter speed and/or Aperture, this is set using the Four-Way Arrow Pad. Since the Manual Focus keys are the same as those used for Shutter speed (in Manual exposure mode or Shutter Priority mode) or Aperture (in Aperture Priority mode), in these modes the center button switches back and forth between the up/down arrow keys being used to adjust Manual Focus or Shutter speed / Aperture as relevant. With the maximum shutter speed of four seconds, the DiMAGE Z5 is rather more restrictive than its predecessor the Z3, which allowed shutter speeds as long as 30 seconds using its bulb mode. Image noise was likely the reason for reducing the shutter range, perhaps because of the higher-resolution image sensor.
As described above, the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 also offers five preset scene modes (referred to as Digital Subject Programs), accessed via the Exposure Mode dial. Portrait mode produces better-looking people shots by enhancing skin tones and decreasing the depth of field (to create a slightly blurred background). Sports mode provides faster shutter speeds to freeze action, and switches the camera to continuous AF mode. Landscape mode uses a smaller aperture to keep both background and foreground in focus. In Sunset mode, the camera employs slightly slower shutter speeds to let in more of the ambient light, and lets you record the warm colors of the scene without compensating for them in the white balance system. In Night Portrait mode, the camera also uses a slower shutter speed to allow more ambient light into the image, however it also records true black values and preserves the bright colors of artificial lighting.
The Konica Minolta Z5's default metering mode is a 256-segment evaluative system, which takes readings throughout the image to determine exposure, taking into consideration both contrast and brightness. Center-Weighted and Spot metering options are also available. Spot metering is useful for high-contrast subjects, as it bases the exposure reading on the very center of the image, letting you set the exposure based on a small portion of your subject. Center-Weighted metering also bases the exposure on the center of the image, but the camera takes its readings from a much larger area in the middle of the frame.
The DiMAGE Z5's light sensitivity can be set to Auto, or to ISO equivalents of 50, 100, 200, or 320. This is unfortunately not quite as high as the ISO 400 maximum of the Z3. While the Z3 offered an optional noise reduction feature, this feature cannot be disabled on the Z5. The camera decides when to apply noise reduction for longer exposures and higher ISO settings, reducing the amount of image noise that would otherwise result, but in the process also reducing fine subject detail somewhat. Exposure compensation is adjustable from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments, and an auto-bracketing option can snap three shots in rapid succession, varying the exposure between each in steps of 0.3 or 0.5 EV units. Exposure compensation is adjusted by pressing the left or right arrows on the Four-way Arrow pad, which displays the Exposure Compensation adjustment scales. The Auto Exposure Bracketing option is enabled through the camera's menu, and you can set the bracketing step size once you've selected Bracketing mode.
The DiMAGE Z5 offers good control over white balance, and some control over tonal range. Its white balance system offers a total of seven options, including Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Flash, and Custom, which is the manual setting. The Custom Set mode determines white balance by snapping a picture of a white card. The camera then adjusts its color balance to render the white card with a neutral hue. Contrast is also adjustable in three steps through the camera's menu menu. The Contrast adjustment worked well for me, but I'd really like to see its range extend a bit further in the low-contrast direction. The Color Mode option of the Record menu offers Natural and Vivid color modes, as well as Black and White, and Sepia settings. Vivid color boosts saturation of the image for a snappier look, while the Black and White / Sepia settings offer a little extra creativity, particularly useful for anybody wanting to make prints without using an image editor on a PC first. The record menu also offers a three-step Sharpness adjustment, for controlling the amount of in-camera sharpening applied to an image.
Drive Modes
The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 features several Drive mode settings, again accessed through the menu system. As well as shooting in single-shot mode, you can choose between Standard and UHS (Ultra High Speed) modes, as well as Progressive Capture and Self-Timer modes. In standard Continuous Advance, the DiMAGE Z5 captures a maximum of three frames at approximately two frames per second. UHS mode captures up to 20 1,024 x 768-pixel images at about 10 frames per second. In either continuous mode, focus is locked with the first frame, regardless of the focusing mode.
The Progressive Capture mode operates similarly to the UHS continuous advance mode, but buffers images at ten frames per second for as long as the shutter button is held down. When the shutter button is released, the last twenty images captured are saved to the flash card - essentially allowing you to begin shooting before the action happens, and be sure you don't miss anything. (An incredibly handy mode for those of us with slowing reflexes!)
The Self-Timer fires the shutter either two or ten seconds after the shutter
button is pressed. The shorter delay is very handy when you need to prop the
camera on something to take a photo in dim lighting, and don't want the pressure
of your finger on the Shutter button to jiggle the camera. The ten-second delay
is long enough that you can run around to get into the photo yourself. An LED
lamp on the front of the camera blinks and the camera beeps as the self timer
is counting down, the blink and beeps becoming faster in the last few seconds.
Auto Exposure Bracketing mode captures a series of three images (one at the
metered exposure, one underexposed, and one overexposed). You can set the exposure
variation between exposures to 0.3 or 0.5 EV.
Movie Mode
The Konica Minolta Z5 has a Movie mode that records moving images with sound, with clip length being limited only by available flash card space, and battery life. The amount of recording time appears in the LCD or EVF monitor display, and varies with the resolution and frame rate of the movie, the available Secure Digital card space, and the speed of the memory card. With a fast memory card, (a 32x Lexar SD card worked fine for me), the Z5 can record at any resolution/quality setting for as long as the card has space remaining, with no limitation based on buffer memory, etc. The Z5 is also unusual in that it lets you operate the zoom lens while a movie is being recorded, something most digital cameras that record movies with sound won't allow. Movies are recorded at either 640 x 480 or 320 x 240-pixel resolutions, with frame rates of approximately 15 or 30 frames per second. Through the Record menu, you can set the movie mode to Standard or Night modes. Night mode records black and white movies in low lighting situations, and is far more effective in dim lighting than the vast majority of digicam movie options I've seen.
Another useful feature of the Z5's movie mode is that, when playing back a movie, you can pause it at any time and extract the currently-displayed movie frame as a still image, saved as a separate file on the memory card.
Flash
The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 features a built-in, pop-up flash, which operates in either Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill Flash or Slow-Sync modes. To release the flash from its compartment, pull on the two small tabs on either side of the casing and lift up the flash head. Close it again by simply pushing the flash head back down. The Flash mode can be changed through the Record menu, or by pressing the Flash Mode button on the top of the camera's handgrip. In Auto mode, the camera decides whether the flash should be fired as the image is metered. In Red-Eye Reduction mode, the camera meters the scene and if flash is necessary, fires a series of small pre-flashes before firing the flash at full power for the exposure itself. This makes your subjects' pupils contract and reduces the occurrence of the Red-Eye effect. In Fill-Flash mode, the flash fires with every exposure, regardless of lighting conditions. Slow-Sync mode times the flash with a slower shutter speed, firing the flash at the beginning of the exposure. The flash is in the Off position when it's closed.
The Konica Minolta Z5 also includes a top-mounted hot shoe for attaching an external flash unit. The shoe design and contact arrangement are set up for Konica Minolta's own dedicated flash units, but I imagine that compatible models are available from the major third-party flash manufacturers (Sunpak et. al.). Konica Minolta's own Program Flash models 2500(D), 3600HS(D), and 5600HS(D) work with the DiMAGE Z5, . Konica Minolta also makes an adapter (part number PCT-100) that takes the proprietary hot shoe contacts to a standard PC-style sync connector, but from all I've heard, this accessory is virtually impossible to find at retail. The hot shoe is protected by an included accessory shoe cap, which on my review camera was actually rather difficult to remove, at least without risking bending a fingernail. Presumably with use, this would become a bit easier - and on the plus side, you're not likely to lose the cap!
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